Familiarity leads Price to Seahawks rookie minicamp

RENTON – The smile was back on Keith Price's face Friday as the former UW quarterback talked about his first rookie minicamp practice with Seattle – even when the inevitable question was asked.

"I was very familiar with the system, very familiar with the coaches, and I love this place," Keith Price said of signing with Seattle after going undrafted. (AP)

Why the Seahawks?

Undrafted rookies typically gauge teams' depth charts to determine the best opportunity to earn a roster spot, and Price presumably had multiple options after his record-setting career with the Huskies. The Seahawks reached out to him immediately after the draft, coach Pete Carroll saying the familiarity they had gained with Price during the four years he spent playing in their back yard was part of his appeal.

Turns out that worked both ways.

"I kinda had my eyes set here," Price said of Seattle. "I was very familiar with the system, very familiar with the coaches, and I love this place. I love Seattle. I love being here. There's great competition at the quarterback spot and I'm a competitive guy."

Price left Washington after a four-year career that saw him break the school record for touchdown passes and completion percentage and at one point merit preseason Heisman consideration. While that kind of resume would seemingly be strong enough to lead to free-agent offers from other teams after going undrafted, Price chose Seattle before he could receive any.

"It probably wasn't 3 minutes after the draft," he said, "Pete made the call and I committed to them."

Price is one of two quarterbacks participating in Seattle's three-day rookie minicamp, hoping to make enough of an impression to earn a spot among a group that was crowded before he arrived.

The depth chart at quarterback already ran four deep. Behind entrenched starter Russell Wilson is Tarvaris Jackson, who's considered one of the league's better backups and is under contract for another season at a guaranteed $1.25 million. Then there's Terrelle Pryor, an athletic marvel who was acquired in a trade and will presumably battle B.J. Daniels to be Seattle's third quarterback.

With Price in the mix, that makes five players who are competing for what could be three spots as for the most part the past two seasons the Seahawks have kept two quarterbacks on their active roster and a third on their practice squad.

But while Price seems to have his work cut out for him to stick with the Seahawks, he knows that a strong showing could lead to an opportunity elsewhere if not in Seattle.

"I constantly told myself that all I need is a foot in the door and I'll take care of the rest," he said. "I'm studying my playbook relentlessly, I'm doing everything I can to prepare myself to ultimately becoming a starter in the league. I know it takes steps.

"I'm way down there on the totem pole right now, but I'm willing to work myself up like I did throughout my whole playing career. So I appreciate the challenge."

About the Author

Brady Henderson
Brady Henderson is the editor in chief of 710Sports.com and also assists in the website's Seahawks coverage. Brady joined 710Sports.com in 2010 after covering high school sports for The Seattle Times. A Seattle native, he attended O'Dea High School and has a degree in journalism from Western Washington University. Follow Brady: @BradyHenderson